The present invention relates generally to an emergency alarm system that is activated by manually operated alarm pull-stations. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fire alarm system that includes a device that produces an image of the person who actuated the fire alarm pull-station.
Emergency alarm systems have been in existence for many years. These alarm systems include evacuation, tornado and fire alarm systems for commercial, industrial, municipal buildings and the like. Often, these systems include a combination of manually operated pull-stations and automatic sensor devices that are placed throughout the building and connected to a wiring system that communicates the activation of the automated sensors and pull-stations to circuitry in a control panel.
The manually operated pull-stations and automated sensor devices work in conjunction with one another to send a signal to an alarm control panel located within the emergency system, indicating that a specified emergency (fire, water, tornado, etc.) exists. In response, the emergency alarm system will alert the building occupants and the proper authorities, such as the police department, the fire brigade and the municipal fire department of the emergency condition, so appropriate action may be taken.
As stated previously, emergency alarm systems employ both manually operated devices and automatic devices to activate the emergency control panel. In most cases, automatic devices such as smoke detectors, heat detectors, and water flow sensors, are used to activate the control panel of the emergency alarm system. For example, smoke detectors are employed in fire alarm systems. The detectors are placed throughout the building and are connected to a wiring system that enables communication to exist between the smoke detectors and the control panel of the fire alarm system. Each individual smoke detector utilizes a sensing device that enables it to sense smoke. Depending upon the specific detector, it may use either a photoelectric sensor, an ionization sensor or both. A photoelectric sensor detects particulate matter in the environment due to fire. The particles are larger in size and usually originate from materials that are smoldering. On the other hand, an ionization sensor detects small particulate matter in the environment that usually results from extremely intense, hot fires. However, the sensors respond identically upon detection of particles in the air.
When detection occurs, the smoke detector""s load on the fire alarm system wiring increases. This event in turn communicates to the to control panel of the fire alarm system that a fire emergency exists. In response to this communication, the fire alarm system alerts the occupants of the building by activating sound generators which generate an audible sound. In addition, the fire alarm system alerts the proper authorities such as the fire brigade, the municipal fire department and/or the police department so appropriate action may be taken.
Alternatively, fire alarm systems also employ manually operated fire alarm pull-stations. Their primary function is to allow the building occupants to send a signal to the alarm control panel to indicate a fire (or other) emergency exists. Like the automated devices, the manually operated devices are placed throughout the building and are connected to a wiring system that enables communication to exist between the pull stations and the control panel of the fire alarm system.
Upon actuation of the alarm pull-station, the pull-station""s load on the system wiring changes, sending a signal to the alarm control panel indicating an emergency exists. In response to this communication, the alarm system alerts the occupants of the building by activating sound generators which generate an audible sound. In addition, the alarm system alerts the proper authorities such as the fire brigade, the municipal fire department and/or the police department, so appropriate action may be taken.
Typically, the individual who performs the actuation of the fire alarm pull-station is the only person who is aware of the emergency condition and because of the this fact, these types of manually operated devices lend themselves to abuse. Many times the validity of the emergency condition is dependent upon the integrity of the individual actuating the fire alarm pull-station. Sometimes false alarms occur when an individual actuates a fire alarm pull-station erroneously and/or unintentionally. However many times a false alarm is done intentionally. When this occurs, the individual usually vacates the scene immediately to avoid detection. As a result, the identity of the individual is unknown, and therefore appropriate disciplinary action can not be taken.
As a result of false alarms, unnecessary disorder and safety risks result. In addition, false alarms are expensive for all who are involved. Individuals are taught that during a fire emergency, they should remain calm and exit the premises in a quick and orderly fashion. However, building emergency evacuations are still inconvenient. In addition, the buildings are sometimes very large, possibly several stories in height, and due to the potential disorderliness of the evacuation and the size of the premises, the potential for inconvenience is high.
False alarms may also be very costly. As described previously, when a fire alarm is activated, the entire building is generally evacuated, and the occupants generally may not re-enter until the proper authorities deem the premises safe. This in turn can cause businesses located in the particular building to lose valuable time and money. Furthermore, every time a fire department, paramedic unit, or police department dispatches its units to an emergency or potential emergency, it costs that particular municipality money. This cost to the municipality is then often passed on to the members of the community in the form of higher taxes.
There is therefore a need for an emergency alarm system, which employs a manually operated pull-station, with a security feature that deters individuals from erroneously and/or intentionally actuating the alarm pull-station. More particularly, there is a need for a deterrent mechanism for manually operated emergency alarm pull-stations that not only deters individuals, but allows authorities to identify the individual who did in fact actuate the pull-station.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention where, in one aspect, an emergency alarm system is provided having a manually operated pull-station that activates the system. The emergency alarm system has a camera that provides image data of the area surrounding the pull-station. The emergency alarm system also has a control panel having a image memory that provides for storage of the image data from the camera.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the emergency alarm system includes a means for manually activating the emergency alarm system. The emergency system also has the capability for obtaining image data in the vicinity of the activating means. In addition, the device provides a means for storing the obtained image data.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.